Castle of the Crown
The Castle of the Crown is the seat of power of the Land of the Green Isles. It is the seat of royal family (the Crown) of the kingdom and the heart of the Land. In its current form its sometimes referred to as the Palace of the Crown. Background The castle has been built and rebuilt for love at least three times in the Green Isles' history. The oldest castle was the seat of power for over 300 years. It was a large and drafty castle. A newer, cozier castle was built to replace the older one by King Aliphid for his wife, Queen Astar. It was built 100 years before the time Derek visited the Isles. When King Caliphim first sat down on the Emerald Throne, he again renovated the castle as a love gift for his bride, Allaria. The castle is of Moorish architecture.Narrator (KQ6): "The castle appears to be of Moorish architecture." It is an immense ornate castle built of golden marble and snowy white alabaster, with soaring towers and gilded spires.KQC3E, 241 Much can be seen and heard in the hallways of the Castle. However, the guard dogs do not deal lightly with intruders. Main Floor The Grand Hall The main hall of the Castle of the Crown is known as the Grand Hall. Two sets of stairs lead up to the living quarters and offices of the castle. Below the stairs towards the back wall on the right side is a large doorway that leads into the Castle's Throne Room. Towards the front of the Grand Hall are the gates of the castle. Beneath the stairs to the left lies the door to the kitchen (sounds of the cooking staff can be heard behind it), and under the stairs to the right is the door that leads down into basement. The Grand Hall opens onto the Throne Room, so it is always heavily guarded. To venture there without permission is to risk the wrath of Captain Saladin. A little balcony overlooks the grand hall, Cassima and her parents sometimes stood there, waving to a crowd of citizens below.Narrator (KQ6):"A little balcony overlooks the grand hall. Alexander can almost picture Cassima and her parents standing there, waving to a crowd of citizens below." The Throne Room The throne room is magnificent, much finer than even the one in Daventry. King Caliphim and Queen Allaria once held court in this lovely chamber. Both sides of the hall are lined with marble pillars, the space behind the two sections of pillars is located approximately just below the upstairs hallways. In the main section of the grand hall, the vaulted ceiling rises up into the second story (in the space between upstairs halls). It was the site of Cassima's wedding to the Vizier, and nearly the end of all her hopes. Alexander and Cassima later had there wedding there with Captain Saladin presiding over the services. The Tower The entrance to the tower lies on the right side of the wall behind the thrones. The tower is three stories tall, with a spiral staircase that leads to the top. A door is located up there and a ceremonial sword hangs on the wall. The tower consists of three levels, including the Bottom of Tower, the Landing, and the Top of Tower.KQ6 Hintbook, pg 105 Marbled-sheathed torches spill their glow across the tower.Narrator (KQ6) It is the summit of the castle, and was where the prince's future and Alexander's fate was settled once and for all. A door there leads to another room of the castle. The Kitchen The kitchen is a busy part of the castle. It entrance doorway to the kitchen lies in the Grand Hall below the western staircaseNarrator (KQ6): "There's a door on the west wall under the stairs. It's the door the waiter came through, and probably leads to the kitchen.", "...the kitchen is no place to be today.". Behind the door comes the clatter of pots and pans, yelled instructions, and other busy kitchen noises.Narrator (KQ6):"From the open door comes the clatter of pots and pans, yelled instructions, and other busy kitchen noises." During Abdul Alhazred's attempted wedding to Cassima the kitchen was filled with a stack of silver almost to the ceiling that needed polishing.Waiter (KQ6): "You! Girl! Don't just stand there! There's a stack of silver almost to the ceiling that needs polishing for the wedding! Get a move on!" CookSergeant Gruff (KQ6): "Cook has about driven himself mad, I hear, worrying over the wedding preparations.", the chef for castle, who was inside was not serving lunch to visitors as they were too busy catering the wedding, and would kick anyone out who was not part of the kitchen staff.Narrator (KQ6): "Alexander decides to check out the door the waiter came through.", Cook: "No lunch is being served today! We're busy catering the wedding!, Narrator (KQ6): "Apparently, the kitchen is no place to be today.KQ6 Hintbook, pg 72 The castle waiter is busy delivering food around the castle. Second Floor The Hallways (Upstairs Hallway) In the East HallwayKQ6 Hintbook, pg 104, the eastern hall, there are doors on the east wall that are said to lead to bedrooms or storage rooms.Narrator (KQ6): "Alexander is standing in an upstairs hallway of the castle. Doors on the east wall probably lead to bedrooms or storage rooms, and there's an exit to another corridor at the end of the hall." There is an exit to northern corridor, the North HallwayKQ6 Hintbook, pg 96, 104, at the end of the hall. The West Hallway corridor has doors leading into the former Vizier's Study and Bedroom. Vaulted domes provide filtered sunlight to the upstairs hallways. The floors of each hallway are constructed from the same cool, beige marble that adorns the walls of the castle. Red carpet runner brings color to the hallways and protects the ivory floors. Large glazed urns stand like sentinels in the east and west hallways. Alcove In the second floor western hallway is a small curved alcove recessed into east wall of the hallway. A pillar partially blocks the alcove from the main corridor. It acts a partial divider, helping set to set the alcove from the rest of the main corridor. A marble statue of a guard dog in full regalia adorns the top of the pillar. On the wall is a portrait of King Caliphim and Queen Allaria, the parents of Cassima. Kindly smiles light up the faces of the couple in the painting. The has an intelligent, sensitive look about him, and the woman is quite lovely. It hangs from a large protruding nail in the wall. While standing in the alcove, one cannot see into the main hallway, except for a small section of the carpet, and a large glazed urn in the hallway.Narrator (KQ6): "Alexander can't see into the main hallway from here. The floor of the alcove has been polished to a highly reflected sheen. It is made from the same, cool beige marble as the walls and floor of the hallway. The walls of the alcove are inset, and have a edging around it. A round arch hangs over the alcove, the pillar and the statue of the dog. The Vizier's Bedroom thumb The Vizier was a man of many secrets. Alexander discovered much inside the Vizier's private chambers, after he found a way inside.KQ6 Hintbook, pg The room is a masculine bedroom. Polished marble walls rise to meet a tall ceiling, and the furnishings have an opulent feeling. A square, red patterned rug helps protect bare feet from the cold marble floor, it is accented with gold lines. A candle-lit chandelier lends a soft light to the bedroom. A wardrobe stands against the west wall of the room, across from the door to the room. The door leads into the west hallway. The wardrobe containing the vizier's silken robes, unclean hose, and black cloaks. It smelled of strong perfumesKQC3E, 306, and a rather sour smell. A canopied bed, arranged with silk bedclothes and large pillows, stands in one corner of the room. A storage trunk sits at the foot of the bed. The trunk bears a large brass lock. The trunk contained some old leather books, a bottle of oily perfume, and a stack of correspondences. The top of the worn leather books occupying the trunk, was a copy of the Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles. Alexander had left it dog-eared and stained. A fire in a small hearth warms the bedroom. A large, soft cushion had been strategically placed on the cold marble floor to provide a comfy seat near the fire. A small wooden table graces the wall near the fireplace. On the table was a box made of ebony. The box contained various trinkets and a scrap of paper with the word 'ZEBU' written on it. There was an old bottle of black ink, a small worn old brush, among the box's trinkets. The bottle contained only a small amount of black ink--most of it dried at the bottom. Some old ivory dice had been left in the box as well, a game of chance. Through the wardrobe is a panel that opens up into the castle's secret passages. Study Formerly the Vizier's Study used by Abdul Alhazred. The study is a room filled with luxury beyond imagining. Incense curls up from braziers of pure gold. The room has simple blue walls and floor. Rich hangings deck the walls, and magnificent rugs cover the floors.KQC3E, 242 The head of a Rhinoceros hangs along one wall, near the entrance to the room. The entrance to the room is quite grandKQC3E, 305, a large bird of prey hangs from the mantle of the door. A series of hooks hangs on one wall, allowing those working in the room a place to hang their cloaks. A large table takes up a portion of the room, where Alhazred once wrote his letters to Shadrack. The table was where Alhazred kept Shamir's magic lamp. Across from the entrance, a small chink in the wall, allows views into the room from the secret passages. From the doorway, one can see a largely bare blue wall past the desk. Alexander was once given audience to Alhazred in the study, before moving back to the Great Hall. It was in the study that Alexander spied Shamir's bottle, and had an idea which lamp to choose from the old Lampseller.KQC3E Cassima's Room thumbThe Princess was locked away in the room with silks and satins, but to her it was the coldest of prisons. She awaited her doom, and had nearly given up her last ray of hope when Alexander contacted her.KQ6 Hintbook, pg 58 A curtain of silk hangs in one corner of the room near the door to the room. Next to it a pillow rests along a solid blue wall for Cassima to sit on. Near the pillow is a large and elaborate vanity, with a small bench near it. One one side of the room was located Cassima's downy bed, near a tall window at the corner of the castleKQC3E, 307. It is there near the window, that Cassima spends time with her pet nightingale, Sing-Sing. A chink in one wall, allows one to view into the room from the secret passages of the castle. The Basement The Hallways (Basement Hallway) The basement stairs lead down into the basement's eastern hallway, the East Hallway, where Jollo's Room can be found. In the western basement hallway, the West Hallway, is the treasure room, and the dungeon cells. In the northern basement hallway, the North Basement HallwayKQ6 Hintbook, pg 65, is the door to the guardroom. To the side of the guardroom, a suit of armor hides a secret mechanism that opens a door to a secret passage. Jollo's Room thumb The gentle clown Jollo lives here. He offers assistance and a kind ear to visitors in his chamber. Jollo's bedroom is spacious, neat, and lush with dramatic colors. Like its resident, there's a melancholy sheen to its brightness. A single door leads out into the basement hallway. A comfortable-looking bed in the corner is neatly arranged. It is just large enough for Jollo's generous size. A plain trunk provides minimal storage for the bedroom. A large red rug with gold trim helps buffer the coldness of the marble underfoot. The floor is tiled in grey marble. A chandelier hangs down from the tall ceiling offering ample light in the room. A cozy fire ablaze in the fireplace keeps the room warm. Near the fire is Jollo's desk. He keeps it neat and tidy. He occupies himself with his writing there. He keeps paper there, a few bottles, a candelabra and few other odds and ends.The wooden chair by the desk gleams with the patina of heavy use and careful polishing. Jollo also reds joke books from his table. The wall above Jollo's desk sports a notice of a circus. It is very old. The Treasure Room This room is protected by a magic door. Alexander was able to breach it, discovering the stolen treasures of the isles hidden there. The soft-toned treasure room is very secure. The domed ceiling has a skylight set into it that allows beams of sunlight to enter the room. Along the walls are trunks and caskets full of the kingdom's treasure. Graceful urns adorn the cool treasure room. In the middle of the room is a low table. Decorative shields and spears made of gold hang on the treasure room walls. A graceful curled trumpet hangs on one wall. The trunks contain the kingdom's treasure once guarded so well and used so wisely by King Caliphim. When the Vizier stole the sacred treasures of each of the lands, he placed them on the table, and, covered them with a velvet drapery with his initials embroidered; A. A. Guard Room The guard room is the barracks and command center of the Guard Dogs, the Castle of the Crown's defense force. Along one wall, is the entrance into the room. The guards are always ready to leave the room to patrol the castle, or defend from intruders. Along another wall is a large fireplace, near it are a few pots, and other equipment used by the guards. There is a chink on the wall across from the fireplace, which allows people within the secret passage to spy into the chamber. In fact, the guard room, lies next to the entrance to the secret passage, and the rooms with the secret staircase leading between both floors. The Dungeons (Dungeon) Some sections of the Castle dungeons are occasionally left unlocked. These areas are said to contain mysterious residents. To be locked into the dungeons of the guard dogs is to perish. There are three cells total in the dungeon along the east wall of the western basement hallway. Each dungeon cell is dim and damp. The walls and floors are made of gray granite stones. There is a gargoyle that peers down maliciously over the dungeon door. The dungeon door is made of sturdy wood, and at eye-level there is a barred window. A plain cot is the only furnishing in each stark dungeon cell. The cots are placed in the corner of each cell. They are uncomfortable, not to mention a little dusty. Only a single burning torch lights each dungeon. Brown spiders are some of the only life in the dungeons. They peer down into the cells from niches in the wall. In the northern most and middle cells, there is a heavy shackle, comprised of a thick iron chain set into a heavy stone block, protrudes from the wall. It is to be used with particularly difficult prisoners. Resting on the cot in the southernmost cell is a torn dirty, rotting sheet. It is also the only dungeon to have no shackles. The dungeons were at one time haunted by the ghost of a little child, whose wailing often drew the attention of the guards. The Secret Passage The secret passage contains a staircase that leads up to second floor. First floor of the secret passage has a spyhole that looks into the guard room. On the second floor are spyholes that look into Cassima's bedroom, another spyhole that looks into Alhazred's former office, and a secret panel leads into a wardrobe in Alhazred's former bedroom Other *The West Wall of the CastleKQ6 Hintbook, pg 96 (aka Castle Wall/Side Wall of CastleKQ6 Hintbook, pg100) lies at Basement level. *Castle of the crown has an extensive library filled with books and scrolls filled with the knowledge of the islands and other lands.KQC3E,239 This maybe located in the castle's study or at the top of the tower (the only room not offered a description in-game). *The castle appears to have four smaller towers on each corner of the building. If they are not merely decorative (part of the outside facade, but not internal architecture), they may connect to some of the second floor rooms, including Cassima's bedroom, the study, and most likely some of the eastern store rooms and bedrooms. There is evidence of one these towers in the Vizier's Bedroom (at least in the architecture). Cassima's bedroom looks to be on a corner on the backside of the castle (though it appears to be on a rectangular edge rather than a round tower). This would suggest that only two towers in the front, and the domes in the back of the castle are merely decorative rather than being storage spaces (these may be the same semi translucent domes that rest over the second floor hall's north hall, and let light into the castle). *Derek Karlavaegen occupied a room of the Palace of the Crown, a day before the wedding ceremony between Alexander and Rosella.KQC3E, 237-238 It is however, unclear what room he occupied, but may possibly be the study based on descriptions. There is a table in the room.KQC3E, 238 The extensive library may even be in there, as Derek uses it to help write the court chronicle.KQC3E, pg 239 *Derek spent time with Caliphim and Allaria in the gardens of the castle. The exact location of this is unclear, but likely refers to the gardens surrounding the outside of the castle. *At the time Derek explored the Green Isles there was a large central onion dome, this was gone by the time of KQ6 for whatever reason. Gallery Keyhole1.png Keyhole2.png Keyhole3.png Keyhole4.png Keyhole5.png Keyhole6.png Behind the Scenes In the Amiga version of KQ6, the magic paint door opened into the Kitchen during the long path. Alexander passed through the Kitchen and through the door to entry hall to enter the castle. The game even goes as far to point out that it is the kitchen, and that he is not to be there, as they are catering the wedding that day. The Vizier's bedroom, may have been the bedroom of Allaria and Caliphim when they were alive. It's one of the only known bedrooms in the castle, besides the door leading to bedrooms in the east hall, next to the door leading to 'storage rooms'. References Category:Castles Category:Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles Category:Places (TKQC) Category:Places (KQ6) Category:Places (GttLotGI)